Sorry guys kinda long but I need some advice for tomm. We currently have an '02 X-30 that we got at the beginning of last season. We have had an abnormal amount of problems with it (Bad computer, oil pump shaft breaking and gernading eng., ballast, guages, and finally front trailer axel collapsing on way to dealer service). Anyhow we have been demanding that Mastercraft do something to keep us as customers. Now I aggree that you should have a normal amount of problems, but this many with a 60k boat, and causing us to loose quite a bit of last season. The Mastercraft V.P. made us some promises that he has yet to keep. Anyhow besides the background we are going to see our dealer about a new boat for the coming season and had an opinion question for all you guys. The tossup is between an X-2 completly done the way we want it and a new X-Star. Money is not a factor unless the difference is HUGE like 20k. Our delima is the fact that we want something done TOMMOROW and the way I see it their is no concrete evidence that the new Star is going to be all that great. Having owned an '01 X-star and loved it I know I like the boat. So do we pay for a boat we have never driven and give up our option to for sure have a boat for the coming season or go with the X-2 that we have experence with. Again sorry for the rambling but any opinion would help a lot. Matt

You know what thats what were thinking Lori. You guys know that you can't but Mastercraft from anyone besides your region. The thing is I know our dealer is not at fault for something that went wrong at the factory, they didn't make the boat. Still he has an amount of loyalty to the product to help us out. So in the end we figure we get taken care of.....or we are the next proud owners of a CC 210TE. Matt

If it was me, I would go with the new X-Star. Yeah, you may be w/o a boat for a little while, but you know that if you get the X-2 and then the X-star comes out, you are going to want the biggest and best boat. And it sounds like the X-Star is going to raise the bar on wakeboard boats. Just my opinion.

If you are going to stick with Mastercraft then I would go with the X-Star. I looked at one this weekend and it was a nice boat, I didn't like the price tag nor did I care for the dash, my opinion is that the interior is not very plush. I hear that hey are starting to ship out the boats. The boat sure is big. How are going to go from a x-30 back to an x-2 that is a huge size difference.

Levi: How are you doing? Have you seen Harold lately? Is he getting a new X-Star this summer? I hope you aren't still having problems with your X-Star? (This is Brad, formerly of Xtreme Marine by the way), just thought I'd ask. I'll be in Oklahoma a bit this summer, we should hook up and get on the water.

Matt- If you want to stay loyal with MC and your dealer, I would go with the X2, considering the problems you have already had with the X30.

Regarding the X-Star, the only information I have heard regarding boarding wakes, driving ability and such is from MC sponsored riders and MC Marketing/Sales. If anyone has anything else, please provide, but all I know is that it is a unproven boat. Sure, it has the potential of being the best out there, but usually first year production models have issues that haven't been ironed out yet. I wouldn't chance it.

My opinion would be to stay with something that you know you can get now and has been proven.

If you could, please, do me a favor while you are there and ask them a few questions for me, it should answer a couple of threads on this board....

1. Ask them why first year production was reduced from 70 boats to 40 boats recently. 2. Ask them why it was only out at a few boat shows this year. 3. Ask them if they have started building production boats to be sold, and when will they start to be delivered. 4. Ask them if there is a legal disagreement between Cobalt and MC regarding the new X-Star. Lastly 5. Ask them for a signed delivery date with monetary penalties if broken. See what they will do?

Personally, I would go with Lori Wulff's suggestion, but that is just because I am biased to CC. It must have been really bad if MC required her to sign a confidentiality agreement. Whatever it was, they knew if she told us they would lose business.

Matt - I would recommend going with the X2. I've got an 02 XStar (X2 now) and it's the same boat with different graphics. This is a very solid boat and you know what you're getting. If you go with the new XStar you may again lose precious water time if and when you get the boat. This is definitely not what you're looking for so why not go with a proven commodity. I talked to my M-Craft service guy who has actually riden in the new X and his comment was that the wake was huge but that for his money he'd stick with my boat until they get all the bugs worked out.

Why why why would you buy another boat from the same manufacturer after having so many problems? It seems like reliability should be the first issue, especially in a 50K+ boat. No matter how good it is there is no wake when its sitting in the repair shop. I mean I got a Moomba put over 120 hours on it and no problems, and that cost less than a third of what yours cost. Id say switch from mastercraft at all costs (not that I dont like MC but based on the experiences related here)

The question remains why you dumped your old X-Star for the X-30 in the first place. I assume that it was because you "NEEDED" more room. If this is the case, it does not make much sense to move yourself back into the same boat you just traded out of.

I am confident that "when" the Ghost-Star does come out, it will be a very nice boat and produce a more than adequate wake. If you have to wait an extra month or two(5) for that, so be it. If someone said they would give me 20K to go without a boat for the Spring, I would scramble to hand over the keys.

If you like MC buy a MC; otherwise, don't buy a MC. I know I'm going out on a limb by saying that (please sense my sarcasm).

In my opinion, boats and cars have similar problems in that no matter what you do or spend you may end up with a lemon. If you spend more I'd like to think the materials used to build whatever it is are better than if you bought something cheaper (sure there is a mark up for brand recognition but for arguments sake let's assume it's proportional among the boat manufacturers). My first CC was a pain in the butt, but I liked the style, wake, graphics, prestige, etc., etc. so I bought another one and I haven't had any problems with it. So go out and buy a MC if you like everything about it and roll with the punches if things happen or buy a CC, Malibu, Gekko, whatever and roll with whatever punches come with owning those boats.

I almost forgot... get in bed with your dealer (figuratively) just in case you do have problems.

Matt, What’s up with the musical boats? 01 X Star, 02 X30, now and 03? I am curious why the switch to the X-30 to begin with? If your are set on MC why not an 03 X-2 and next year get an 04 Ghost Star. Continue the trend. New boat every year… hhhmmmm?

From the sounds of your MC experience I would probably look at other brands before I opted for a new X-Star.

Ok guys thanks for all the posts read them before going in. Most of you mentioned about going from diff boats and so on. Our dealer has for the most part been very good to us on trading up and so on. As for going from the 01' star to an X-30 we began bringing lots of people to the lake with us at this time and it became really social. Where as now with some of our group starting to get pretty good I decided that we would benifit from a more specialised boat again. This said we ended up going with another 03' X-30 Reverse gel coat yellow lower hull, with white upper hull and deck. Same colors we have now. Dealer is going to switch our custom stereo for us and add a few of the new options like the racks. Most excited though about going with the 6L hehehehe. I think we are going to do as most of you said and wait for the first year of new X-stars to roll out and see how they perform. As well as having a new boat well in time for the new season (4-6 weeks expected delivery being rushed). Again thanks for all your help and keep opinions coming as we have till sat. to confirm. Whoop Matt

brad.. harold is getting the solid black x-2..he was told the new x star will not be out for sale until almost 2004...im takin my boat to kicker next week for them to hook it up... sorry to hear about the xtreme marine deal... whats up with that? email me if u ever wanna hang out in okla...